Wedding Venues in Balboa Park

We are hired to perform often in Balboa Park, and created this blog post to go over some of our favorite venues that provide a unique, charming backdrop to celebrations of weddings, corporate events, holiday parties, and so much more!

Balboa Park is the jewel in the center of San Diego! This spacious and historic spot was developed early in San Diego's history, and is officially the largest urban park in the United States. While the vast majority of the park is open space and trails (and a large golf course), the center of the park is what is most familiar to tourists and locals alike. 

The Panama-California Exposition of 1915-1916 brought about the beautiful buildings you see today that comprise museums, shops, performing arts centers, and plazas. The park is home to so many amazing spaces that are able to be transformed into beautiful and unique wedding and event venues. Left Coast Quintet has had the pleasure of performing throughout Balboa Park for many occasions, including weddings, corporate events, fundraising galas, and civic events like December Nights. 

LCQ has performed in the majority of venues available for private events in Balboa Park, and we'll provide you below some links to our preferred venues within the park where we have performed. Keep reading to learn more!

The Mingei Museum:

We performed for a beautiful and music filled wedding here (please ask us about it, it was awesome!). This space is perfect for all sorts of events though, from an evening cocktail party, to a holiday shindig, to a meeting. There are multiple levels of meeting spaces, patios, and exhibits, both indoors and outside. The beautiful mosaic wall on their upper patio made for some fun pictures! Check out more information on weddings at the Mingei Museum! 

Natural History Museum:

We've been to the San Diego Natural History Museum for a few different events, and it is such an awesome venue for private gatherings. They have an upper deck patio that overlooks most of Balboa Park and is great to set up for weddings or social events, and then of course the inside is a "Night at the Museum" feel for cocktail hours, receptions, dancing, and partying! Here is our page with a bit more information on events and weddings at the Natural History Museum.

Japanese Friendship Garden:

We are so happy to be listed as preferred vendors for live music at the Japanese Friendship Gardens. This private, beautiful space in the center of the park offers winding paths, bridges, garden spaces, and unique venue buildings perfect for celebrations. To check out some more information, here is our Japanese Friendship Garden landing page.

The Museum of Us:

We had an opportunity a few years back for April (our clarinetist) to perform a live sax solo for a wedding cocktail hour and reception. She even played for their first dance. Such a fun night!

This is another venue with the "Night at the Museum" vibes, and while they may not have as many rooftop views as the Natural History Museum, their main center exhibit space can easily be transformed for your night of celebrations. 

The San Diego Air & Space Museum:

We've been to weddings and events at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, and it is an incredibly unique venue with a ton of room. We definitely suggest going big to match the airplanes that hang from the ceiling in their main events space. Your guests will enjoy checking out the exhibits during cocktail hour. 

The Prado:

One of the nicest restaurants in San Diego is the Prado, located in the heart of Balboa Park. Their garden ceremony site is perfect for a smaller ceremony, and they have other surrounding canyon sites that can accommodate larger wedding ceremonies and events. The Prado has a large ballroom as well as smaller upstairs event spaces that are great for parties and receptions. It is a very elegant and whimsical location for a unique event in the middle of the city. Check out more info on events and weddings at the Prado here!

The San Diego Museum of Art & Panama 66

The San Diego Museum of Art and Panama 66 Restaurant are exceptional wedding venue locations in the heart of Balboa Park. With views of the California Tower, a large outdoor patio and lawn space, and an indoor ballroom, the museum and restaurant site can be designed to fit your needs and style. 

Panama 66 often has live music, so we are no stranger to the site. ​